With the Fifa World Cup right around the corner it is time to start thinking about your fantasy football team. Joining or starting a fantasy league can add an extra layer of fun to your World Cup experience, giving you the chance to pit your team against friends, family and the wider world and see who the best manager is. 

Depending on where you play, you will have a certain budget to stick to when building your team with each player given a monetary value. You must pick all 11 players without going over the limit which can be tricky and leave you struggling to fill in the last spots with anyone you can afford. Here are a few tips to help you build your perfect team today.

Know your budget

To begin with you will need to know exactly how much you have to spend. Check on the site where you are building your team and you will see the total amount. You should then divide this figure by 11 so you have a rough spend per player. You can decide to spend more on some and less on others, but this will give you a starting point and help you avoid running out of money before you have filled your team. 

Decide who you can’t be without

If there is a particular player that you are desperate to include, put him in first. Strikers like Ronaldo and Kane are generally the most expensive players to select, so if you want to have them in your team then decide upfront and lower your budgets for the remaining players accordingly. If you have spent more on one player you will have to spend less on the next – simple.

Go for a 4-4-2 formation

Many managers like to pack their fantasy soccer team with as many strikers as they can. Strikers score goals and get you points, but they can be the priciest players. Going for an extra midfielder instead can be cheaper, and with the right pick they will still score you goals at the same time.

Note: The fantasy soccer team league we are linking to here is only available in Australia, however, there are many different leagues for you to choose from depending on where you are based. 

Pick the country as well as the player

If you are a little low on money, one great choice is to pick a country that you think will do well, has a relatively easy group to start with, or is likely to keep a clean sheet for your defenders and keeper. If you think Brazil, for instance, is likely to win their group and not concede many goals, you can look at their available defenders and pick one to suit your budget. As long as they play you will get points for a clean sheet without having to fork out lots of money for the biggest names.

There are many different ways to build your fantasy soccer team for this World Cup, but by starting with an idea of your budget and adjusting as you go you are less likely to end up having to put in filler players for the final spots or start all over again. Follow our tips, get going, and see if your team has what it takes to top the table this year.